Federal Appeals Court Halts $1.5 Billion Utah Oil Railway Project, Siding with Environmentalists

A U.S. appeals court has partially vacated approvals for a $1.5 billion crude oil railway project in Utah, citing inadequate consideration of wildfire risk and environmental harms. The court found "numerous" violations of the National Environmental Policy Act during the government's environmental review. The project, challenged by environmental groups and Eagle County, Colorado, will now undergo another review, which could take years. The railway aims to provide an alternative to trucking for shippers of crude oil and other commodities in the Uinta Basin.